Reflections on a busy summer at St. Columba
It has been an incredibly busy summer at St. Columba Anglican Church.
STEM camps
In late June, we welcomed 10 camp counsellors with the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Camp organization. Laptop computers, craft materials, games and so much more were unloaded and set up in the Lower Hall (featuring our restored mural).
Thereafter, came children from Ottawa’s east end–all with a thirst for learning and fun times. Minions week, Superhero week and Minecraft week were all featured and the camps were often at capacity (30 children). We look forward to welcoming back the STEM camp next year and for years to come.
Community garden
The Manor Park Community Garden at St. Columba was built in May by community volunteers and the 12 above-ground garden boxes were planted with seedlings or seeds. Some of the ground was tilled to plant extra squash and tomato seedlings. Watching the garden grow has been a constant source of delight to the people renting garden boxes and to anyone who has walked through the church’s back parking lot.
For the STEM camp children, it was a learning experience to see the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. go from tiny buds and flowers to full grown vegetables. A garden bench and a few outdoor chairs were donated and provide a serene spot to sit, sip tea or just enjoy the thriving plants.
The annual rent for two of the garden boxes was donated by Chris Penton of the Beechwood Farmers’ Market and those two, together with the St. Columba garden box, were planted for the sole purpose of providing fresh produce to the food bank at the Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre at the former Rideau High School (now Rideau Hub).
Marie Chantal Ross from St. Columba has been making weekly runs to the food bank with fresh produce from these three garden boxes as well as other produce and non-perishable food items from parishioners at St. Columba.
Fundraising
The RCMP Musical Ride returned on Canada Day, July 2 and 3, with perfect weather for the event. St. Columba parishioners used this opportunity to offer our front and back parking areas to event goers, for a modest donation of $5 per car.
On the last evening, we even had a lemonade stand with fresh baked muffins to offer. We met many folks, some from Ottawa, but many others from across Canada and abroad. Miss Ottawa and her entourage parked at the Church on Canada Day, and she is a delightful young woman who happily joined us for some group photos.
At the end of July, St. Columba parish held a Strawberry Social. Our poster was hand drawn by artist Wendy Trethewey and her granddaughter, Carolina. Wendy and parishioner Binda Morim did all of the flower arrangements for the tables using the gorgeous hydrangeas from various gardens plus a few store-bought flowers. A crew of parishioners including Anne Stairs, Don Wilson, Susan Castillo Estrada and Chips Filleul got everything set up for the event.
Becky Hynes baked over 150 shortcakes using a British recipe that calls for fresh cream and real butter. All of the strawberries were picked or purchased from local berry growers. To top it all off (pun intended) was real, freshly-whipped cream. Servers Natasha Poitras Vant and Chelsea Hynes, with helpers Audrey Poitras Vant and Maeve Hynes, made sure diners were seated and served without delay
This event was a fundraiser to get our stained-glass window professionally cleaned. All of the other church windows were scheduled to be cleaned, but we needed to raise $700 to pay for the cleaning of the stained-glass window. With the support of the community – and especially the Irish Seniors Social Group who meet at St. Columba weekly from September to June – we were able to reach, and surpass our goal.
Outreach
On August 28, we blessed donated school supplies for both Manor Park Public School and the Wabano Centre. Parishioners generously donated over $600 for Walmart gift cards and school supplies for the children and youth at the School and Centre.
Looking Ahead
With the return to school in September, we also look to welcome back our user groups, including the Irish Seniors Social Group, the Shotokan Karate, Girl Guides (Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders), Scouts (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts), the Stairwell Carollers, Natasha Moine’s Yoga group, Les Chevaliers de Maravana and the Outouais Wood Carvers. We are also very happy to be the location for bundling and distribution of the Manor Park Chronicle. Working with Sharleen and Jackie and their team of volunteers is such a delight and has been an eye-opening experience to see “behind the curtain” at all the work that goes into getting the papers bundled sorted and out to team captains for distribution to residents. I’ll never again take for granted the Chronicle in my mailbox!
In addition, this fall, we will welcome ARC Studio School, a new private elementary school serving children ages 4 to 11. An affiliate of Acton Academy and accredited through the International Association of Learner Driven Schools, ARC combines individualized learning, hands-on projects, and Socratic guidance to create a fun, learner-driven environment in which children develop a real love of learning while building the know-how to face real-world challenges head-on. The outcome? Confident, curious, and passionate learners with the self-awareness, drive, and skills to positively change the world. For more information on ARC Studio School and to enroll, please visit arcstudoschool.ca or contact Dr. Megan Lelli, Head of School, directly at megan@arcstudioschool.ca.
On October 2, we will hold our Blessing of the Animals Service at 9:30 a.m. Bring your dogs, cats, hamsters or other family pets to the service for a blessing and recognition of the unconditional love they give us.
It is our plan at the time of writing this article, to hold a Harvest Chili Supper on Thursday, October 27. Our Guiding and Scouting groups will be assisting us at servers at this dinner. Turkey, vegetarian and beef chili will be offered, as well as fresh baked (thanks to Becky Hynes) cornbread. Stay tuned for more information about this event on the List Serve or visit stcolumbaottawa.ca.
As always, we welcome our neighbours to worship services at the Church. We meet Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and our services are followed with a time of coffee/tea and fellowship. The fellowship hosts outdo themselves providing delectable goodies to go with our coffee/tea. Music is provided by our exceptionally talented Music Director, Faye Grinberg Rice, and Cantors, Keumnim Lim and Shawn Mattas. Our Priest, Karen Coxon, leads us through the Eucharistic service (communion is offered) and our congregation will offer all visitors a warm welcome.
Hope to see you at St. Columba.
<i>This column was written by St. Columba administrator Diana Poitras.</i>